Besides wreaking havoc on a patients’ lungs and heart, researchers have uncovered another reason to encourage patients to quit smoking: nicotine also destroys musculoskeletal structures.

 

In a presentation at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ Orthopedics Update, Stuart A. Hirsch, MD, reported that cigarette smoking has a wide range of negative musculoskeletal effects.

 

“Cigarette smoking is implicated in several musculoskeletal disease processes, including osteoporosis, low back pain, spinal disc disease and wound healing,” said Hirsch. “Smoking increases the incidence of spinal compression fractures in postmenopausal women because they have less bone mass.”

 

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons – October, 17, 2001. http://www.aaos.org/